The present disclosure is directed to a label applicator and, more particularly, to a tamp-blow label applicator that is configured to receive labels fed from a web and apply such labels to one or more objects.
Automated printed label applicator machines or systems are well known in the art. In one example, such a machine utilizes a continuous web of label material that includes a carrier or liner and a series of discrete labels adhered to the liner at intervals therealong. The machine removes the labels from the liner and applies the labels to objects. In some such machines, the label is also printed by the machine prior to separation from the liner and application to the objects.
Known label machines generally include a supply roll on which the web is wound. The web is fed from the supply roll around a plurality of rollers past a printing head or imaging device. The printing head prints indicia and/or information, such as logos, bar codes, serial numbers, tracking information, etc., onto the individual labels and the web exits the print head as the labels are separated from the liner and positioned for contact with a tamp pad.
A typical tamp pad holds individual labels and moves the labels into contact with the objects onto which they will be adhered. Generally, the tamp pad may be a vacuum assisted assembly configured such that a label is transferred onto the pad after it is separated from the liner with the non-adhesive side of the label contacting an impact plate on a front side of the tamp pad. Typical impact plates are formed from a low friction material having a plurality of vacuum openings formed therethrough. Vacuum channels are formed in a rear of the plate. The plate is mounted to a mounting plate at a rear of the tamp pad through which a vacuum port provides communication from a vacuum source to the rear of the impact plate. A vacuum is drawn through the vacuum openings to secure the non-adhesive side of the label to the impact plate after separation from the liner and prior to application to the object surface.
The label remains on the pad until the target object is in line with the pad. A tamp actuator then extends to move the tamp pad into contact with the object surface to apply the label to the surface. At the completion of the extension stroke, the actuator returns the pad to a home or starting position at which time a subsequent label can be fed onto the tamp pad. After separating the labels from the liner, the liner can be accumulated onto a rewind or take-up roll for subsequent disposal.
To further facilitate the application of the label to the object surface, some tamp pads are coupled with an air flow source to blow air through the vacuum openings to blow or eject the label onto the surface. In such tamp pads or tamp-blow label applicators, the air flow source to blow air through the vacuum openings may include a compressed air source and the vacuum source may include a motor driven fan. However, such prior tamp pads require a compressed air source, which may be unavailable or inconvenient in some situations. Further, the use of a separate air flow source to blow air through the vacuum openings and a vacuum source to draw air through the openings requires specialized switching, timing, and/or control components to operate the tamp pad effectively.
Accordingly, there is a need and desire for a tamp-blow label applicator that can be utilized to secure or hold a label and to blow the label onto a surface without the need for separate air and vacuum supply source and specialized components to control the multiple air flow sources.